Citizen Hariri: Lebanon's Neoliberal Reconstruction

Dr. Hannes Baumann (University of Liverpool) is presenting his new book, Citizen Hariri: Lebanon’s Neoliberal Reconstruction at the University of Birmingham, on Thursday 7 December, 2017.

The book offers a new political biography of the Titan of Lebanese politics, whose influential legacy continues to shape the Levant years after his assassination. Rafiq Hariri was Lebanon’s Silvio Berlusconi: a ‘self-made’ billionaire who became prime minister and shaped postwar reconstruction. His assassination in February 2005 almost tipped the country into civil strife. Yet Hariri was neither a militia leader nor from a traditional political family. How did this outsider rise to wield such immense political and economic power? Hannes Baumann not only assesses the personal legacy of the man dubbed ‘MrLebanon’ but charts the wider social and economic transformations his rise represented.

Dr. Baumann’s presentation will be followed by brief comments by Dr. Giuditta Fontana (ICCS) and Dr. Christalla Yakinthou (POLSIS), and a Q&A session with the audience. The event will be chaired by Dr. Gerasimos Tsourapas (POLSIS).